Mail-bag catching and delivering apparatus.



J. N. ISENBERGER.

MAIL BAG GATGHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED JUNE 18, 1909.

Patented J an. 4, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR lsenbergen.

WITNESSES:

Jacob N- J. N. ISENBERGER.

MAIL BAG OATGHING AND DELIVERING APPARATUS.

AYPLIOATION FILED JUNE 18, 1909.

945,395. Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

$3 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR. '4 dacob N. lscnberqen.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB N. ISENBERGER, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTHTO WILLIAM H. PFOU'IZ AND ONE-FOURTH T0 HENRY C. SHANK, OF LANCASTER,

PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

Application filed June 18, 1909. Serial No. 502,935.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB N. ISENBERGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Ba Catching and Delivering Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a mail bag catcher and deliverer for use inconnection with moving trains, and more particularly to that class whichis rotatably mounted on a standard beside the track and having a springcontrolled relation therearound to compensate for the shock caused bythe impact of the bag; and to a deliverer and car fork adapted tooperate in conjunction therewith.

One object of my invention is to provide a catcher wherein the bag isreceived from a moving train without. ar, and the rectilinear motion ofthe bag transformed into a circular motion about the axis of thestandard of said catcher.

Another object being to provide means whereby the bag becomes lookedupon the catcher immediately upon its reception, so that no rebound willthrow it out of the catcher, until released by the attendant.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thisclass, in which means are provided for both catching and delivering oneor more bags at the same time and without requiring change or separateadjustment in the apparatus.

With these and other objects in View my invention consists in certainconstruction and combination of parts as will hereinafter be fullydescribed and claimed in this specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of.this ap lication, and inwhich like figures of reference refer to corresponding parts in all ofthe views; but it is fully understood that while I have here describedmy device as herewith shown that I do not confine myself to the exactdesign as shown, as slight changes may be made in the construction andcombination of the several parts without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1, is a top plan View of the car fork in anextended position. Fig. 2, is a plan View of the catcher and deliverer,in position to cooperate with the car fork, and also its position afterreceiving the bag is indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3, is a sectionaldetail View of the removable car fork socket 0r bearing. Fig. 4, is adetail side view of the car fork with the arm removed therefrom. Fig. 5,is a side elevation of the car fork socket or bearing, as shown in Fig.3. Fig. 6, is a horizontal detail sectional View of the car fork withthe arm and one of the impact springs in place. Fig. 7, is a detail viewof one of the bag retaining arms of the car fork. Fig. 8, is a detailView of the car fork catch, for retaining the arm in a horizontalposition. Fig. 9, is a side elevation of the delivering and catchingdevice. Fig. 10, is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 11, is a topplan view of Fig. 1), taken on the line X X the post 30, and shaft 35,being shown in section. Fig. 12, is a view of the under side of therevolving table. Fig. 13, is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings, that part of the apparatus known as the carfork, comprises the bar 1, which is formed midway its ends with theenlargement 2, which is provided with the transverse orifice 3, and theangular spring chambers 4, in the body thereof, for the reception of theimpact springs 5; while pivoted by the pin 6, and extending through theorifice 3, is the arm 7, which is formed with the oppositely disposedbosses S, to engage the impact springs 5, which tend to always keep saidarm 7 in a right angular position with reference to the bar 1.

The forward extending portion of the arm 7 is provided with one or morepairs of spring bag delivering arms 9, which are detachably secured tosaid arm 7 while de tachably secured to and extending from the oppositeside of said arm 7, are one or more pairs of bag-catching arms 10, whichare formed with squared ends 11, for securing them within the arm 7, tokeep said catching arms 10, from turning; and in the body of saidcatching arms 10, are formed the orifices or slots 12, through which ispassed the bag-retaining spring 13, which has one of its ends secured tosaid arm 10, in such a manner that said springs will yield as the bag isforced between the adjacent springs and fly back into place as the baghas passed their bend to retain the bag and keep it from reboundingtherefrom.

The ends of the bar 1, are rotatably mounted in the bearings or brackets14, and 15; the bearing 14, being permanently se cured to the side ofthe car doorway, while the bearing 15, is detachable and comprises aplate 16, which. is formed with a corrugated outer surface 17, and issecured to the side of the car by screws or bolts. The socket member 18,is formed with a corrugated back 19, a bearing socket 20, and atransverse slot 21, for the reception of the securing bolt 22, and isheld securely to said plate 16, by said bolt 22. This form of bearingbeing intended for the purpose of releasing the bar 1, so that the samecan be reversed when it is desired to operate the device in the oppositedirection or to transfer the car fork to the opposite side of the car.

When the car fork is placed in an operating position, it is retained inplace by the catch device which comprises a member 23, secured to thecar doorway and formed with a tubular orifice 24, within which works thecatch pin 25, which is embraced and retained in an engaging positionwith the orifice 26, in the bar 1, by the spring 27, contained withinsaid tubular orifice 24. The pin being withdrawn against the action ofsaid spring by the rocker-arm 28, which has one end pivoted thereto, andthe other end provided with a hand knob 29, for the purpose of operatingthe same. A corresponding orifice 26, is provided in the other end ofsaid bar 1, in a proper position to coact with the catch when said carfork is reversed.

The catching and delivering apparatus comprises a standard or crane 30,which is mounted upon the ground in proper relation to the track, and ahorizontal arm 31, integral therewith and upon which is rotatablymounted a circular table 32, which is provided with a depending bearingstud 33, engaged by a socket 34, in said arm 31; while from the centerof said table 32, extends upward a shaft 35, which is reduced indiameter near the upper end 38, and rotates within a bearing 36, formedin an upper parallel horizontal arm 37, of said crane 30. Surroundingthe upper portion 38, of said shaft, with its lower end secured to saidarm 37, and its upper end secured to said portion 38, by a nut 39, and aset screw 40, is a spring 41, which is designed to wind upon the shaftportion 38, and create a. resistance to the revolving of the shaft 35,in the bearing 36.

Upon the lower surface of the table 32, 1s secured a circular rod 42,which slides through a swivel bearing or stop 43, which is mounted inthe arm 31; while upon said rod 42, is placed a spring 44, with one endbearing against the stop 43, and the other end against the enlarged endof the rod, in such a manner that as the table is revolved in the properdirection, the rod 42, will slide through the stop 43, and the springwill be compressed, thus creating a resistance to said revolution.

The table 32, and the shaft 35, are normally retained with the springs41 and 44, under compression, as shown in Fig. 10, by the action of aweighted hooked nose-dog 45, which is pivoted to a bracket. 46 securedto the crane 30; said dog engaging a stop 47, secured upon the uppersurface of the table 32, in such a manner that when the table 32, isslightly revolved in a direction to further compress the springs, thedog will release the table by the dropping of its weighted end 48, andthe table will turn in the opposite direction as actuated by saidsprings.

To the body of the shaft 35, between the arms 31, and 37, is secured abag-catching arm 49, which is provided with the removable fingers 50,secured thereto by the bolts 51, and formed with the rolled over edges52; while above, parallel, and to the rear of the said catching arm 49,is supported the delivering arm 53, by the bracket. 54, and said arm 53,is provided with the bag-hanging eyes 55.

The operation of the device as a whole is as follows :-A bag or bagshaving been suspended from the eyes 55, the crane is set with the arms49, and 53, at right angles to the track and retained in that positionagainst the tension of the springs 41, and 44, by the dog 45. A bag orbags having been placed in the spring arms 9, on the car fork, and thefork being held in a horizontal position by the catch and the trainmoving in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 1) and the crane being inthe position shown in Fig. 2, the arm of the car fork will pass betweenthe arms 49, and 53, and the bags will be caught out of the arms 9, bythe fingers 50, and the spring arms 10, will catch and tear the otherbags from the arm 53, and thus both operations will be done at the sametime. As the arm 49, receives the impact of the bags it is drivenslightly back against the tension of the springs 41, and 44, which willallow the dog to release the table, and allow the arms to swing backinto the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, where theymay be secured in said position by a pin 56, which is mounted in thebracket 46, and drops into a hole 57, provided in the top of the tablefor that purpose. The impact of the car fork caused by catching the bagsis sustained by the springs 5, which allows the arm a slight motion toprevent its being bent.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In an a paratus of the class described,the combinatlon with a suitable car fork secured to the car, of abag-receiving device mounted upon the ground in proper relation to thecar, and designed to cooperate with said car fork, and comprising astandard, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in said standard, a table.concentric with and carried by said shaft, means secured below and tosaid table for the purpose of revolving said table and shaft, meanscarried upon said table and upon said standard for restraining therevolution of said table until released, a bag-catching devicecomprising a horizontal arm secured to said shaft, and bag-holdingfingers detachably secured to one side of said horizontal arm.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with abag-receiving means mounted upon the ground, of a car fork detachablyand reversibly mounted upon the car, comprising a shaft provided with anenlargement in the body thereof, a bag-catching arm extending throughand pivoted within said enlargement, impact cushioning means containedwithin said enlargement in connection with said catching arm, springactuated gripping arms detachably secured to said catching arm, elasticbagholding arms secured to said catching arm, and bearing bracketssecured to the car for the purpose of retaining said car fork, andcomprising a stationary bearing bracket and a detachable and adjustablebearing bracket.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with a standard,of a revolving vertical shaft mounted in said standard, a table carriedby said shaft, horizontal arms carried by said shaft above said table, aspring actuating revolving means carried by said table, an automaticreleasing means carried by said table, and bag-catching fingersdetachably secured upon said horizontal arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB N. ISENBERGER. Witnesses:

VAL J. CoUL'rnR, MABEL L. LEFEVRE.

